IRELAND BILL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27092, 28 May 1949, Page 7

IRELAND BILL

CITIZENSHIP CLAUSE AMENDMENT LORDS SEEK ADJOURNMENT NZPA—Reuter—Copyright LONDON, May 26. The House of Lords to-night insisted on adjourning the debate on the Ireland Bill to give time for a further study of an amendment by Lord Simon, former Lord Chancellor. /Appeals by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Jowitt, and the House leader, Lord Addison, for the withdrawal of the amendment because it would mean “constitutional difficulties” were greeted with shouts of “No ” from the Opposition peers. Lord Salisbury, their leader, said the amendment raised a difficult legal question, and the debate should not be continued in such a state of bewilderment. He said he wanted to allow time for further consideration and for the Government to reach an agreement with the Irish Government. Lord Simon’s amendment sought to ensure that people born in Eire before December' 6. 1922, when the Irish Free State came into existence, who had. never resided in Southern Ireland since that date, should automatically be British subjects. They should not have to apply for British nationality. Lord Jowitt criticised the amendment because, he said, it covered many people it ought not to cover. For example, he said, it would have the effect of retaining as a British subject a supporter of Mr de Valera born in Cork, who went to the United States in 1931, and had remained there ever since, even though he had registered “ as some of these enthusiastic Irishmen do.” as a citizen of Eire. He asserted that the amendment helped “ exactly the wrong people,” and was unworkable.